History of Ray Dalio in Timeline
Ray Dalio is a prominent American investor and hedge fund manager, best known as the founder of Bridgewater Associates in 1975 and co-chief investment officer since 1985. Bridgewater Associates has grown into the world's largest hedge fund under his leadership.
August 8, 1949: Ray Dalio's Birth
On August 8, 1949, Raymond Thomas Dalio was born, who would later become a prominent American investor and hedge fund manager.
1973: MBA from Harvard Business School
In 1973, Dalio received his MBA from Harvard Business School, marking a significant milestone in his education and preparation for his career in finance.
1974: Fired from Shearson Hayden Stone
In 1974, Dalio was fired from Shearson Hayden Stone after punching his boss at a New Year's Eve party, marking a setback in his early career.
1975: Founded Bridgewater Associates
In 1975, Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates, initially as a wealth advisory firm, marking the beginning of his entrepreneurial venture in finance.
1981: Opened Westport, Connecticut office
In 1981, Bridgewater opened an office in Westport, Connecticut, aligning the firm's location with Dalio's personal life and family aspirations.
1987: Profited from 1987 Stock Market Crash
In 1987, Dalio gained prominence by profiting from the stock market crash, showcasing his investment acumen and ability to navigate economic downturns.
1991: Launched Pure Alpha strategy
In 1991, Bridgewater launched its flagship strategy, "Pure Alpha", a term referring to returns above market benchmarks.
1996: Launched All Weather fund
In 1996, Dalio launched the All Weather fund, pioneering a low-risk strategy known as risk parity.
2002: Death of father
In 2002, Dalio's father, Marino Dallolio, a jazz musician, passed away.
2002: S&P 500 Negative Return
In 2002, The S&P 500 had a negative return of 22.1%.
2005: Bridgewater Becomes Largest Hedge Fund
In 2005, Bridgewater Associates became the world's largest hedge fund.
2007: Predicted 2007-2008 financial crisis
In 2007, Bridgewater predicted the 2007–2008 financial crisis.
2007: Sounded alarms about financial leverage dangers
In the spring of 2007, Bridgewater began sounding alarms about the dangers of excessive financial leverage.
2008: Pure Alpha fund rose in value
In 2008, Bridgewater's Pure Alpha fund rose in value by 9.5% after fees, due to Dalio's anticipation of the Federal Reserve's actions.
2008: Published 'How the Economic Machine Works'
In 2008, Dalio published "How the Economic Machine Works: A Template for Understanding What is Happening Now", assessing economies by various criteria.
February 2009: Began using "d-process" term
In February 2009, Dalio began using the term "d-process" to describe the deleveraging and deflationary process of the subprime mortgage industry.
2009: Pure Alpha fund earned low returns
In 2009, Bridgewater's Pure Alpha fund earned just 2% to 4%, underperforming compared to the Dow Jones Industrial Average's 19% increase.
April 2011: Dalio joined the Giving Pledge
In April 2011, Dalio and his wife joined the Giving Pledge, vowing to donate more than half his fortune to charitable causes within his lifetime.
2011: Self-Published 'Principles'
In 2011, Dalio self-published a 123-page volume, Principles, outlining his philosophy of investment and corporate management.
February 2012: Teacher Retirement System of Texas Investment
In February 2012, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) purchased a $250 million non-voting stake in Bridgewater Associates Intermediate Holdings, LP.
2013: Bridgewater Becomes Largest Hedge Fund
In 2013, Bridgewater Associates, the firm founded by Dalio, was listed as the largest hedge fund in the world, a significant achievement.
March 2017: Stepped Down as Co-CEO
In March 2017, Dalio announced he would step down as co-CEO of Bridgewater as part of a company shakeup by April 15.
October 2017: Assets under Management
As of October 2017 Bridgewater Associates had $160 billion in assets under management.
2017: Publication of 'Principles: Life & Work'
In 2017, Dalio authored "Principles: Life & Work," a book about corporate management and investment philosophy, which became a New York Times bestseller.
2018: OceanX and Bloomberg Philanthropies committed to protect the oceans
In 2018, OceanX, an initiative of the Dalio family, and Bloomberg Philanthropies committed $185 million over four years to protect the oceans.
March 2019: Dalio named one of the highest-earning hedge fund managers
In March 2019, Forbes named Dalio one of the highest-earning hedge fund managers and traders.
April 7, 2019: Income Inequality a National Emergency
On April 7, 2019, Dalio stated that income inequality in the United States was a national emergency requiring reform.
July 2019: Calls for Refinement of Capitalism
In July 2019, Dalio called for the refinement of capitalism and called wealth inequality a national emergency.
November 2019: Paradigm Shift
In November 2019, he posted a blog entry stating that excess capital, unfunded social liabilities, and government deficits had created a recipe for disaster in what he called a "paradigm shift".
2019: Dalio pledged to Connecticut public schools
In 2019, Dalio pledged $100 million to Connecticut public schools.
2019: Dalio published Principles for Success
In 2019, Ray Dalio published an illustrated version of his bestseller, Principles: Life & Work, called Principles for Success.
May 2020: Importance of Reforming Capitalism
In May 2020, he stressed the importance of reforming capitalism, not abandoning it.
October 13, 2020: NYP launched the Dalio Center for Health Justice
On October 13, 2020, NYP launched the Dalio Center for Health Justice with a gift of $50 million.
October 2020: Discusses income inequality
In October 2020, Dalio said that there has been little income growth for average citizens over the preceding two decades, warning that inequality was becoming more entrenched and rising fast.
October 2020: Dalio cautions people to not be blind to China's rise
In October 2020, Ray Dalio cautioned people to not be blind to China's rise, arguing it has emerged as a global superpower and is on par with the U.S. in advanced technologies. He also downplayed Chinese human rights violations.
2020: Ranked Among World's Wealthiest
In 2020, Bloomberg ranked Ray Dalio as the world's 79th-wealthiest person, reflecting his substantial financial success.
2020: Death of Dalio's oldest son, Devon
In 2020, Dalio's oldest son, Devon, died in an automobile accident at age 42.
2021: Dalio produced PrinciplesYou personality assessment
In 2021, Dalio produced a free online personality assessment called PrinciplesYou.
January 21, 2022: Dalio's net worth estimated by Forbes
On January 21, 2022, Forbes estimated Dalio's net worth at $20 billion, ranking him 88th on their billionaires list and 36th on the Forbes 400 list.
November 2023: New York Times Investigative Report
In November 2023, a New York Times investigative report questioned the claims Dalio and Bridgewater had made about its investment philosophy and methodology.
December 2024: Forbes Ranking
As of December 2024, Ray Dalio ranked #124 on Forbes' Richest People in the World with a net worth of $15.4 billion.
